Training Log: MMA

(Having already hurt my toe, rather pathetically, at the Kwooner Meeting, I decided to pick up some more debilitating injuries...)

The Mauler's Cage Fighters Gym, (MMA), Steve Dempsey, Harrow, UK - 23/03/2005

I’d forgotten just how tough Steve’s class was! As last time, my clothes gradually transformed from a t-shirt and gi-trousers to a damp dishcloth, and I once again succeeding in ripping the skin off my left knuckles (though that was probably rather heavily affected by crappy punching technique and 4 ounce MMA gloves). Also, Rayner’s Lane remains a very irritating station to get home to Amersham from, particularly if the train you’re planning to get is cancelled, as happened this time. Grr.

The warm up was the same as before – running on the spot, lots of sprawling, supporting your back and cycling your legs, press-ups, sit-ups, and seal crawls both with and without people holding your ankles. I was so good at that last exercise that my progress went into minus figures, while when it was my turn to do the holding, my grip left much to be desired – the ankles in question swiftly slipped out of my grasp and scampered up the length of the hall.

We then moved into the arduous stand-up padwork, again, as before. The person with pads would simply change positions to indicate different strikes, but none were called, only implied. This seemed to go on forever, until eventually we switched round, which happened twice, though I think it was shorter on the repetition. More specifically MMA drills were included, such as taking down the person with the pads and working strikes from the mount and from guard. Punches moved to kicks, with two people holding kick shields while one person was literally bounced from one to another on the same principles of the punching drills (i.e., pad position was supposed to indicate the strike rather than verbal instructions, although the two people called out ‘knees’ , ‘elbows’ and ‘front kick’ anyway).

To finish off with, Steve moved on to groundwork. For the first section, one person defended and the other tried to submit them. I was initially quite pleased with myself, successfully holding off my opponent by clinging as tightly as I could to a full and then a half-guard, but judging by the next section, the opponent in question wasn’t all that versed in groundwork (apologies to nebulous ‘person’ if he in fact was). The second section proved to me once again just how much my grappling sucks, as this time, both partners attacked. I was thoroughly schooled by a BJJ guy in the fine art of leaping under someone’s full mount in record time; my usual cling-like-a-terrified-barnacle tactic failed to have any effect.

All in all, the same factors dissuade me from training there again anytime soon as they did before – late finish, distance, and I'm a wuss. I could also do with more specific technique training, like I get at the Heathrow club. However, also as I said last time, I would recommend Steve Dempsey’s club, especially if you’re keen to get fit, and the atmosphere was entirely lacking in the machismo which occasionally mars MMA clubs – Steve is actively involved in training fighters for the women’s competitive circuit (there was a woman training that night, but I’m not sure if she was part of the fight team or not). Finally, as always with MMA clubs (in my limited experience so far, at least), the 2 hours only cost £5. Undoubtedly value for money, a gallon of sweat for each pound!

Training Log: MMA

(during my time at brief time at Elite, I also managed to fit in a diversion to Harrow on the way home, to a MMA club I'd been meaning to try out for ages. I was joined by Alex, a poster from Tung-Fu...)

The Mauler's Cage Fighters Gym, (MMA), Steve Dempsey, Harrow, UK - 02/09/2004

Went along with fellow poster, Alex, and as he had warned, the class was pretty fitness intensive - my shirt was a damp rag by the end of the two hours! I'm not sure how long the warm-up was (probably much shorter than it felt ), but it consisted mainly of running on the sport, 'cycling' in the air supporting our backs with our hands, a bit of shadow boxing, plus a brief stint of press-ups and sit ups. The warm-up then moved into a variation on the seal crawl, stretching the arms right out in front as we lay on our stomachs, then pulling ourselves the length of the room twice, then switching to our backs and using our shoulders, finishing with the first exercise...but this time with someone holding on to our legs.

After that came a relatively extensive session of pad-work, concentrating on punches. Pairing off, one person would moves the pads about as they wanted, while the guy with the gloves on would respond. Steve then added 'stage 2', in which the guy with the pads would grab hold of the boxer, and finally 'stage 3', where the boxer would take down his partner, moving between full mount and guard, punching all the while, finishing back where we started, then eventually switching over.The final part of the lesson was a 20 minute roll, with various partners (though I ended up with Alex twice, much to my delight ). I rolled three times, generally getting various arm locks applied to me by Alex, though I did managed to guillotine him once, albeit with in-fight help from Steve! Also gave me an active demonstration of why wrestlers used to grease up - the sweat makes holding on to someone @%$# hard!

All in all, a good workout, and as usual the seniors were helpful (well, the one I rolled with anyway and Steve - I don't think we can count Alex as a senior just yet ).

Unfortunately, its a bit late finishing at 10pm, meaning I finally got home an hour past my bedtime, plus I have the joy of Elite tonight with added aches and pains. However, I would certainly recommend Steve's club to anyone in the Harrow area, especially if you value your fitness! Come to think of it, that workout must have been long, unless I missed something out? Possibly too knackered to remember...

Club Details

Club Name: The Mauler's Cage Fighters Gym
Address: Rayners Lane, Harrow, London (short walk from tube station, a tiny little door that says Harrow martial arts)
Country: United Kingdom

Website: Here, and a women's MMA site here. Update 06/05/05: Both sites appear to be down, but the club does have a message board you could try, here.

Instructor: Steve Dempsey. Update 06/05/05: Steve has now retired (at least for the moment!), but his classes will continue under Mark Chen, a noted exponent of MMA. I look forward to trying out Mark's classes)
Cost: £5 per session
Styles Taught: Self-defence & MMA

Training times are Wednesday, 20:00-22:00.